provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The Sanibel Captiva Audubon Society announced the second lecture of the year, “The Magic of Bird Migration,” with Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Director Keith Laakkonen.
It will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way. Seating opens at 5:30 p.m. A $10 suggested donation is welcome at the door.
Twice a year, millions of birds make herculean journeys across continents and oceans to survive. Learn about the species in Florida during spring migration, the importance of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary for migrants, how the Motus Wildlife tracking station informs land managers and researchers about individual birds’ migratory paths, and other ways Audubon works to protect birds in Florida.
As Sanctuary Director, Laakkonen oversees the management of the 13,000-acre sanctuary and its 25 full- and part-time staff responsible for land conservation, research, policy, and public engagement.
Laakkonen is charged with advancing Audubon’s science-based conservation mission to protect the sanctuary and its watershed. He serves as a key Audubon spokesperson for the conservation of the Western Everglades and works closely with Audubon Florida leadership to achieve Audubon’s conservation goals in the region.
He and his team are maintaining and expanding Corkscrew’s facilities, staff, and programming while restoring and protecting the ecology of the sanctuary.
To ensure the sanctuary’s financial stability and continued expansion, he works closely with the development team to identify, cultivate, and solicit donors and with center staff to maximize earned income and manage expenses.
Laakkonen, with more than 25 years of environmental management experience as a public servant, most recently worked for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as Director at the 110,000-acre Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Naples and as regional administrator for the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection.
In his prior position as Environmental Sciences Coordinator for the Town of Fort Myers Beach, he earned the Guy Bradley award from Audubon Florida for his work protecting beach-nesting birds.
Laakkonen is a Southwest Florida native, an avid birder, and a longtime member of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. A graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in wildlife ecology, Laakkonen completed his master’s degree at Florida Gulf Coast University with a focus on sea-level rise policy.
His interests include watershed management, environmental policy, wildlife ecology, prescribed fire management, hydrologic restoration, exotic plant and animal management, and environmental education and outreach.
For questions, contact San-Cap Audubon via email at san.capaudubon@gmail.com.
San-Cap Audubon board members look forward to Laakkonen’s presentation and mingling with the island’s birding enthusiasts.